Case Studies
Transforming Finance Operations for a National Industry Leader
Background
A national manufacturing company had grown rapidly through organic expansion, becoming a dominant force in its industry. However, behind the scenes, the business was grappling with outdated systems and inconsistent internal processes. Financial data was fragmented, policy manuals were long obsolete, and leadership struggled to access accurate, timely reports to guide fact-based decision-making.
Their Challenge
Years of unchecked growth have created a complex web of manual processes, inefficient workflows, and unnecessary headcount. There was no standardized way to track performance or report on results, and management’s ability to make data-informed decisions had eroded. The company knew it needed to overhaul its finance operations—not only to regain control and insight but also to reduce operating expenses by at least 12%.
The Solution
The CFO team engaged with stakeholders across every part of the business to align on a shared vision. Together, they created a detailed blueprint that outlined how to restructure financial operations from the ground up. This included identifying all key risks, defining cost and time impacts, and establishing clear milestones. Enhanced internal controls, best-practice policies, and customized workflows were implemented to drive consistency and accountability. A new accounting system was implemented, which accounted for production, custom product builds, and real-time inventory controls.
Just-In-Time manufacturing principles and advanced logistics systems were introduced to improve cash flow, reduce inventory holdings, and increase inventory turnover. Real-time dashboards, performance metrics, and GAAP-compliant reporting tools empowered leadership with visibility like never before. The project also focused on organizational restructuring—reducing redundancy, compressing the corporate hierarchy, and improving efficiency at every level.
The Impact
The transformation not only met but exceeded expectations. Expense reductions in the first year surpassed 20%, far beyond the initial 12% goal. Financial reporting became faster, more accurate, and available on demand. Leadership regained confidence in their data, and the business was equipped with a flexible, future-ready finance system. What started as a cost-cutting initiative ultimately became a full-scale operational breakthrough.
Securing $1.5 Million in Growth Capital for a Commodity Brokerage
Background
A mid-sized, family-owned commodity brokerage was thriving on the surface—revenues were climbing, and demand was strong. But as the business scaled, it began to outgrow its available cash. To continue their trajectory without giving up equity, the owners needed to secure a $1.5 million debt facility to fund operations and growth.
Their Challenge
Despite healthy profits, the company faced tightening margins due to global macroeconomic pressures. The commodity nature of the business made traditional lenders hesitant, viewing it as high-risk. Those who were interested demanded more than historical financials—they wanted a clear and reliable system for ongoing transparency, projections, and performance tracking. The company didn’t yet have the financial infrastructure to meet those expectations.
The Solution
Business CFO for Hire stepped in to build lender confidence and position the company for funding success. First, they introduced best practices for internal controls and formalized financial policies and procedures. Then, they developed a robust financial model capable of delivering accurate projections across cost centers, identifying performance gaps, and providing timely financial consolidations. The system gave stakeholders a clear line of sight into both current performance and future potential.
Results
With a credible, transparent financial process in place, the company secured the full $1.5 million debt facility—on favorable terms and without sacrificing ownership. The new system didn’t just unlock capital; it gave leadership a better grasp on the financial mechanics of the business. What began as a short-term cash need turned into a long-term upgrade in operational discipline and strategic confidence.
Risk Mitigation: Identifying Risk Prevents a Financial Catastrophe
Background
A well-established company sought greater clarity around its risk exposure—both known and unknown. With operations expanding and complexity increasing, leadership recognized the need for a holistic risk assessment that extended beyond surface-level evaluations. The goal was to gain a full picture of potential vulnerabilities, from internal operations to industry-specific threats, and ensure that existing insurance coverage aligned with real-world risks.
Their Challenge
While the executive team believed most major risks were already covered, a series of in-depth discussions revealed several gaps—both explicit and hidden. Stakeholders had varying perceptions of the company’s exposure, and there was no unified view of risk tolerance, insurance adequacy, or potential consequences. Existing insurance policies hadn’t been reviewed comprehensively, and there was no clear strategy for mitigating high-impact events.
Through this process, new risks emerged—as they often do. It became clear that the company needed to define its appetite for self-insurance, understand its true out-of-pocket exposure, and address any gaps before they could be tested in a crisis.
The Solution
Our CFO conducted a thorough review of all existing insurance policies and risk mitigation strategies. Two critical issues were uncovered: the company lacked business interruption insurance, and their current broker had failed to offer a comprehensive, aligned coverage strategy.
A new broker was engaged—one who understood the company’s risk profile and could deliver a tailored, end-to-end solution. Updated coverage was implemented, bringing policies in line with actual exposures and ensuring executive decision-makers had the tools to act proactively.
Impact
Nine months after the new policies were put in place, the unthinkable happened: a fire brought production to a complete halt for a full year. Thanks to the newly added business interruption insurance, the company avoided financial disaster. The policy covered critical losses, allowing the business to stay afloat during a prolonged shutdown.
Had the review and changes not occurred, the client would have faced bankruptcy—unable to shoulder the fiscal burden of a 12-month operational stoppage. Instead, the business survived the crisis intact, proving the value of identifying risk before it becomes reality.
The Power of Financial Visibility – Where Did All the Money Go?
Background
A financier reached out with a puzzling situation: one of their clients, a fast-growing service provider, was thriving in sales but struggling with cash flow. On paper, everything looked great—revenue was up, the pipeline was full, and new business was pouring in. Yet the company was bleeding funds, and no one could pinpoint why.
Their Challenge
Within a single day of meeting with the company’s stakeholders, the root causes began to surface. The business’s bookkeeping was managed by a well-meaning but unqualified friend of the family. The owner, while talented and growth-focused, lacked a strong grasp of financial fundamentals and leaned too heavily on a “cheap” advisor to guide the company’s strategy.
That advisor had developed a fiscal model that, in theory, could have worked. But it was never implemented properly, nor was it measured or maintained. Worse, the model itself had major cost analysis flaws—missteps that silently drained the company’s cash reserves. On top of that, there were no inventory controls, no job costing system, and no project management in place. The business was scaling fast, but without a solid operational or financial foundation.
The Solution
The turnaround began with a full overhaul of the fiscal model. The owner was challenged to rethink the fundamentals of the business. A common entrepreneurial trap is trying to be the cheapest, the highest quality, and the best service provider—all at once. But in reality, you can only succeed at two. Competing on price alone is a race to the bottom, and someone will always be willing to undercut you.
A new business model was developed—one that addressed every layer of operations at the micro level. This included detailed pricing strategies, quality benchmarks, project efficiency metrics, client profiling, and brand development. Project recall tracking was introduced to monitor outcomes, and inventory management processes were established to reduce waste and tighten control.
Equally important was aligning the business with the right financial partner. Not all capital is created equal, and the wrong funding can be just as damaging as no funding at all. Key performance indicators (KPIs), ROI tracking, and financial trend analysis were implemented to help guide day-to-day decisions and improve long-term visibility.
Results
The bleeding stopped. With better controls, a solid fiscal model, and a data-driven strategy in place, the business stabilized and began operating profitably again. Sales remained strong—but this time, so did the bottom line. By pairing financial structure with operational discipline, the company turned its growth into sustainable success.
